A man found dead in a street in the Yerevan district of Avan on February 4 has been identified as Norayr Melkonyan, a 63-year-old Russian citizen who had earlier been charged with stealing a 1,050-dram bottle of vodka from a Yerevan grocery store (Krpak).

Melkonyan’s naked body was discovered lying in a puddle of muddy water in an Avan tire manufacturing plant.

Melkonyan had been charged with attempting to steal the half liter bottle of vodka on May 10, 2017.

Melkonyan confessed to the crime, saying he tried to steal the vodka “to drink with his meal”.

The case languished in the courts for seven months. Melkonyan, who signed an affidavit not to leave Yerevan, never showed up for the trial.

A warrant for his arrest was issued. He was located and ordered to appear. He never did.